Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) acting chief Dr Shafiq Ameeni and dozens of other party activists were arrested during separate protest rallies on Friday against the acquittal of Asia Bibi, a Christian woman recently acquitted by the Supreme Court in a high-profile blasphemy case.
Ameeni had been in hiding since a crackdown was launched against his party for violently rioting across Pakistan and bringing the nation to a standstill. He was wanted for causing huge losses to the national exchequer by damaging private and public property and creating a law and order situation.
District Police Officer (DPO) Irfanullah confirmed that the arrest was made in Charsadda’s Umarzai area on Friday, where Ameeni was leading a rally he had announced days ago.
Ameeni rose to the position of acting chief of TLP after two of its main leaders, Khadim Rizvi and Pir Afzal Qadri, were arrested during a crackdown against the party in November last year.
In Karachi, police resorted to tear gas shelling and baton charge to disperse the protesting TLP activists, officials and witnesses said. At least 50 party workers were detained as the protesters demonstrated against the Supreme Court’s recent decision to uphold the acquittal of Asia Bibi.
Following a protest call issued by the party, several TLP workers first started gathering at Sharfabad signal near Bahadurabad soon after the Friday prayers. DIG East Amir Farooqi said police had already asked the party to desist from holding any protests. He claimed that the religious party’s workers pelted stones on moving vehicles, damaging the windows of many of them, and also damaged a police mobile. “The police used baton charge and tear gas to disperse them,” he said.
The DIG confirmed that a total of 50 TLP workers have been arrested after the violent protest was brought to an end. “The police will register a case against them under Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) over charges of terror and rioting as they resorted to pelting stones and damaged private and public vehicles,” the official asserted.
The DIG said 22 TLP workers were also arrested from Korangi and six others from Gulistan-e-Jauhar area on Thursday night. Police sources revealed that 12 more TLP workers were detained from the city’s West zone on Friday morning.
Separately, around 1,500-2,000 activists of TLP held a protest outside the Karachi Press Club (KPC) which resulted in prolonged traffic jams on the adjoining roads.
Artillery Maidan SHO Agha Aslam Pathan said no untoward incident was reported and the protesters dispersed peacefully.
Published in Daily Times, February 2nd 2019.
